


Dear Jem

by Bubbly_Kandy



Category: To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Genre: Atticus Finch Quotes, Harper Lee Interviewed The Characters, POV First Person, Scout POV, This was a paper I had to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 21:28:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16167284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubbly_Kandy/pseuds/Bubbly_Kandy
Summary: I had to write a letter to a character from 'To Kill A Mockingbird' for class; I chose Jem, and I wrote it in Scout's point of view. I decided to post it, because I'm pretty proud of it.





	Dear Jem

Dear Jem,

 

Have you heard of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird,’ Jem? It’s a book by this lady named Harper Lee- she’s written about you and me and Atticus, all about what happened with Tom Robinson and Atticus and old Mister Ewell. She even wrote about Aunt Alexandra and Uncle Jack! 

 

Now I know why Miss Lee talked to us that one time- do you remember that, Jem? You were a little silly and sleepy when she talked to us- she tried to interview you, but you just told her jokes until you fell asleep again; Atticus told me that’s what happens when you take a lot of pain medication. 

 

Miss Lee interviewed near everyone in Maycomb- she even talked to old Miss Dubose’s maid, Jessie! Can you imagine that, Jem? Jessie told her all about our reading sessions, and what you did to Miss Dubose’s camellias. Atticus was with her when she was being interviewed- he said Jessie laughed and laughed when Miss Lee asked her about the flowers- she said Miss Dubose had the largest fit that she had ever seen the old lady throw!

 

Miss Lee talked to me privately- I must’ve talked to her for hours and hours, because it was pitch black when we stopped talking! At first, I didn’t like her- she smoked in the house, and she stomped around the house in these giant boots that scared the near socks off of me. But, when we started talking, she treated me the same way that Miss Maudie treats us- like an adult. She first brought me to the store, bought me a chocolate milkshake, then she asked me a real good question, Jem- is a egg oval shaped, or egg shaped? 

 

I swear, I must’ve thought about that question for near ages before she told me to ask Atticus about it later. She first called him ‘our daddy’- I told her that Atticus doesn’t like being called that, and that we don’t like it either. She told me she was sorry, then she called him Atticus the rest of the time.

 

She was real nice, Jem- I swear, it was like I wasn’t even talking to a adult. She made me feel nice and comfortable, and she was able to pull a lot of stories out of me without me even knowing what happened! She asked me about Dill, and she didn’t act like all the ladies in Maycomb- she knew that Dill’s just a friend, but he’s also the one I’m gonna maybe marry. I asked her if she understood me and Dill’s predicament, and she told me she had the same engagement when she was about as old as me. 

 

Then, we got to talking about you, Jem- I told her all about the Radley place, and the camellias, and the tire, and she laughed and laughed and said you sounded like a real prankster. I said ‘oh no, ma’am, Jem’s just acting his own age, see,’ and you know what she told me? She said, ‘well, Scout, all boys Jem’s age are real troublemakers.’ 

 

That really got me thinking, Jem. Atticus and Cal always told me you act older than you really are- I don’t believe that. I think sometimes you act just as young as me, but then, sometimes, you suddenly are years older than Atticus. It’s infuriating, but- is that what teenage boys are? Am I gonna be the same way, when I’m your age? 

 

Jem, that made me think of another thing- when you were sleeping after Mister Ewell broke your arm, all the ladies told me to not be scared. They said to me, ‘Scout, you’re such a strong young lady- taking care of your father and brother so grown-up like.’ But, I  _ wasn’t  _ taking care of you, Jem; Atticus watched you when you were sleeping, and Cal gave you medicine and tea when you woke up blubbering and trying to hit me with a pillow. I hit you with a pillow too, so if that is what Miss Stephanie and Miss Gertrude were talking about, I’m already more than halfway to becoming a lady.

 

But, I gotta be honest with you, Jem- you really did scare me. I only hit you with that pillow to snap you out of your wailing, but Cal kicked me out and told me to think of, and I quote, ‘more appropriate ways to distract someone from something bad.’ 

 

When I told Miss Lee all of this, she looked at me real sad, then held my hand in hers. Her hand was warm and calloused, and I could tell that she grew up as a Southern girl. She said, ‘Scout, I hope you know that you really are a strong, brave young lady, whether those ladies tell you that or not.’ That made me feel real good, Jem. She sounds a lot like Atticus. 

 

She then talked to me about the trial- oh, Jem, I nearly started crying! I didn’t even know why- the trial’s done and gone, and everyone, except for me and Helen Robinson, have seemed to move on. Why did they move on so quickly, Jem? They were all so horrible during that awful trial, talking terrible about Tom and all the Negroes who live in Maycomb- I hated it Jem, I really did.

 

But Miss Lee was real nice about it all- she told me that we could stop talking about it whenever I wanted too, and we could go back to talking about you and Dill and the Radley place. But I couldn’t seem to stop talking- I told her every single thing I knew about that damn trial, and she diligently wrote it down in her pad of paper. 

 

I told her all of what Atticus told us- she really liked  _ “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” _ She told me that that very quote landed on the 112th page of her notepad! Ain’t that crazy, Jem? 

 

She asked me if I knew what Atticus meant by that. I said ‘yes, ma’am, what Atticus meant is that real courage isn’t being a big, strong soldier, it means that you do something that’s really difficult with all your strength, even if you know from the start you’re not gonna win.’ She smiled real wide at me, and told me I was real smart for my age.

 

That might be her favorite thing Atticus has ever said, but I think the one thing I liked Atticus saying the most was when he told the jury during that trial. He said, if I remember correctly, ‘Gentlemen, in the name of God, please do your duty.’ Miss Lee told me that was on page 209! She told me she was trying to group the stories together from the town, so that’s why those two are so far apart. I have to tell you that, because I know you won’t believe me. I think that’s one of the best things Atticus has ever said. I bet if Tom was white, he would still be walking around because of Atticus. Do you believe that, Jem? Atticus worked so hard on that case, but just because Tom was black, he was convicted. Is this what Atticus meant by courage? Was Atticus asking those men on the jury to look past Tom’s skin and into his heart? That’s what I think he was saying. 

 

What’s the thing that sticks with you, Jem? I know Atticus tells you a lot, maybe even more than me. What’s your favorite thing he’s told you? Was it when he told us about Mrs Dubose? Or when we went to defend Atticus and Tom from all the men who went to the jail? 

 

I really hope you feel better, Jem. Cal told me you have to be in your bed until your arm begins to ‘set,’ whatever that means. Cal told me that bones fix themselves to be stronger than before- does that mean you’re gonna have super strength in one arm? I sure hope not. 

 

Miss Lee told me that she’s gonna call her book ‘To Kill A Mockingbird.’ It’s a real nice name, isn’t it, Jem? 

 

I really hope Miss Lee visits us again. I think, if she stays a little longer next time, she and Atticus would be really great friends.

 

See ya, Jem. I’ll ask Atticus to buy you a candy bar the next time we go to the store.

  * Scout Finch



**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to leave a kudos and comment!


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